Die-hard Eartha Kitt
and Bettie Page fans are surely reeling from the recent passing of these two American icons. No doubt there will be a surge in Eartha and Bettie memorial tattoos in the coming months. As the West continues to warm up to tattoo culture, increasing numbers of people are essentially transforming their bodies into devotional shrines.
Not that tattoos are at all a new concept. Tattooing can be dated back at least 5,200 years, thanks to the 1991 discovery of Ötzi the Iceman – a well preserved natural mummy sporting 57 tattoos thought to be associated with acupuncture.
Memorial tattoos in the West can be traced to the Civil War when soldiers were tattooed near or on the battlefield to honor fallen comrades, battles, ships and regiments. At the turn of the 20th century, over 85% of American soldiers boasted memorial tattoos.
Today, tattooing is one of the fastest growing retail sectors in the United States, with middle-class suburban women being the fastest growing demographic looking to permanently etch ink onto flesh. The popularity of reality-based shows like LA Ink and A&E’s Inked lends the art form accessibility. From your living room you can watch as a rocked out Kat Von D, her team of tattoo artists and a behind-the-scenes editing crew piece together something rather compelling: a story.
Nothing makes for a good story more than the earnest, raw emotion that comes part and parcel with joy and grief. By a landslide, a good chunk of the personal stories featured on these shows depict honoring life and grieving loss. Be it a battle with illness, the loss of a special pet, a tribute to a disaster like Hurricane Katrina or 9/11 or honoring a beloved relative, for some the art of tattooing offers closure, celebration and a means to make meaning.
Take yours truly. My grandfather unexpectedly passed away a few weeks ago, and I’m already in the works of designing a memorial tattoo. Among his many idiosyncrasies was an obsession with rabbits. I never had the chance to ask him about the origin of this fixation, let alone how it swelled into a whopping collection of hundreds if not thousands of rabbit figurines that nearly burst out of my grandparents’ home.
The point being, my grandfather’s affinity for this creature becomes part of his story. By proxy it extends into my story, as I mourn his loss and seek ways to honor and remember. Why? Because it’s symbolic. It holds meaning. I will forever associate rabbits with the man I called “Grandpa” for 31 years. Suffice it to say that a special rabbit will comprise part of his memorial tattoo.
This, I believe, is why receiving a memorial tattoo is much like building a shrine, and in this a potentially spiritual experience. That is, you tell a story. You remember. You honor. You express appreciation. You accept, let go and move forward if need be. All through the ritual act of tattoo – the convergence of art, body, mind and soul.
Interested in designing your own memorial tattoo? Check out these tips on eHow or About.com. I highly advise doing your research when selecting a tattoo artist, especially since there’s bound to be some degree of emotion rolled into this process. Get recommendations from friends or family who are happy with their tattoos. Visit several studios and take your time in reviewing portfolios. Check for their use of color, black and white, smoothness of lines, text, etc. Most tattoo artists will be happy to consult with you about your idea. Good luck!
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